After finally getting my I-Gate back on line ( HOA doesn't like antenna's) , I'm now getting warnings that my packet transmission rate is too high and could be considered abuse of system. It's transmitting packets every 10 seconds. What would be considered a ideal transmission rate? The only thing I changed was my location setting and hiding the antenna. Any quess on why this is occurring ? I've shut down till I can get this corrected.

If anyone else gets a system abuse message from aprs.fi, it could be your squelch setting causing repeated transmissions.
Discovered my inexpensive BAOFENG transceiver squelch had inadvertently been set too high and was chopping off packet signals. Setting squelch to zero seems to have alleviated the problem. At least the warning message has changed from red to black. Hope message eventually disappears.

I always love a good stealth antenna story. Covert radio - the stuff of day dreams...

I'm interested too.......

I was getting ready to mount an antenna when I got a warning from the HOA on another issue. Either a neighbor turned me in (I don't think so) or they walked up to my fence to see what was in the back yard. Now I'm back at the drawing board.

I have a two story house with one side of the second floor being a wide open attic. I installed my J-Pole in the attic section with its top about 24 ft.AGL and just below the peak with no metal other than roofing nails nearby. The terrain here is quite flat and it seems to work great in that location although I just checked the status of my setup and it's still sending packets at a very high rate every 10 seconds so I guess my squelch issue wasn't my problem after all. I'm going to shut down again and review all the setting in the software which is at least three years old and my be outdated.

Since operating an APRS Station requires an Amateur Radio license from the FCC you are allowed to openly install an antenna. This is allowed by PRB-1. The legal cite for PRB-1 is: 101 FCC 2d 952 (1985). § 97.15 provides that an amateur station antenna structure may be erected at heights and dimensions sufficient to accommodate effective amateur service communications

You can go to the ARRL web site and download the regs etc.
Tyler
K4NLM

Since operating an APRS Station requires an Amateur Radio license from the FCC you are allowed to openly install an antenna. This is allowed by PRB-1. The legal cite for PRB-1 is: 101 FCC 2d 952 (1985). § 97.15 provides that an amateur station antenna structure may be erected at heights and dimensions sufficient to accommodate effective amateur service communications

You can go to the ARRL web site and download the regs etc.
Tyler
K4NLM

But the gotcha for PRB-1 is if you purchase a property that has a restricted covenant (i.e. HOA), the courts tend to side with the HOA because you knowingly entered the contract with full knowledge of the restriction.

Since operating an APRS Station requires an Amateur Radio license from the FCC you are allowed to openly install an antenna. This is allowed by PRB-1. The legal cite for PRB-1 is: 101 FCC 2d 952 (1985). § 97.15 provides that an amateur station antenna structure may be erected at heights and dimensions sufficient to accommodate effective amateur service communications

You can go to the ARRL web site and download the regs etc.
Tyler
K4NLM

That's all fine and dandy but my HOA will go ballistic if you even let your lawn get too high and they will go after you. One guy ran up a 3500 fine till he removed his little utility trailer from his yard.
If I only knew what HOA's can be like. Going through the covenant I found specific rules against any antenna's . If my attic antenna didn't work my next attempt was to cover it in plastic leaves and try to hide it up in some trees.

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